Tech & Innovation

Started Friday morning at OSU's Wake Up Start Up event and got to hear a pitch from Dr. Melissa Bailey for her IXM mobile eye exam concept. Dr. Bailey works with COSI as part of our Labs in Life. This gave her access to lots of COSI guests as subjects to gather her normative data. We're glad to be a part of this innovative entrepreneurial idea.

I can't believe it is already our last weekend of the Maker Corps program here at COSI! This weekend we are leaving all the project planning up to our guests! For instance today we did stitch! and all things sewing related were open! Nathaniel and I brought all of our fabric, thread, beads, buttons, batting, conductive thread, LEDs, batteries and much more down to our gadgets area. There guests could make anything they wanted, and I'll tell you what you guys get creative! There were flamingos, pillows, skirts, bows, vests, light up creatures, toys, just about anything that could be thought of was made!

Today was a nice last maker day for me! We made light-up frisbees in the Big Kidlab. We took frisbees and used construction paper to design our custom frisbee, and I punched a hole on it where ever they requested for their LED. We talked about LEDs and electricity and circuits and switches. It was a lot of fun and everyone enjoyed the project. I had the most adults that I've seen in there come to participate. About 17 kids and 5 adults. Some of these kids are really impressive with their age range and knowledge. A great end to a fun summer of making!

This weekend for the Maker Corps at COSI we made some crazy LED light paintings, some funky brushbot creatures, and taught kids how to make their first 3D models.

It always amazes me when I talk to a child or parent who does not know about 3D printing. I show them the cool things we've already printed with COSI's 3D printer and they just cannot believe that there are machines that can make real, 3-Dimensional objects. I've been trying to print a model of a Hammerhead Shark's skull all weekend, but both attempts have failed thus far. I guess we'll just have to try next week!

Today was so fun!! We did LED painting. We had the guests make a simple circuit with LED's and coin batteries, then we used a long exposure camera to allow them to "paint" an image in the air with their LEDs.